A control unit known from published German patent document DE 40 23 319 C1 has a printed circuit board substrate in the form of a flexible printed circuit board foil laminated onto a plate. The printed circuit board substrate is equipped on both sides with electrical components which form an electronic circuit. The components are covered by two housing parts placed on the top side and the bottom side, respectively, of the printed circuit board substrate. Outside of the area covered by the printed circuit board substrate covered by the housing parts, a device plug connector part is situated on the printed circuit board substrate which is connected to the components via printed conductors of the printed circuit board substrate and is used for connecting the control unit to an external cable harness. The known control unit is intended to be installed in the engine compartment of a vehicle.
Moreover, a control unit is known from published German patent document DE 195 28 632 A1 which has a printed circuit board substrate equipped with electrical components which is covered on the top side and the bottom side by housing half-shells. The half-shells are fastened on the printed circuit board substrate using threaded fasteners. A power component situated on the printed circuit board substrate generates heat during operation which is dissipated, via through-contacts underneath the power component, to a heat-conducting layer on the bottom side of the printed circuit board substrate and from there to a housing part which is in contact with it.
In addition, an electric control unit for a transmission designed as a control module is known from published international patent document WO 2006/066983 in which a device plug connector and a sensor are situated on a substrate whose electrical terminals are connected to a housing interior via a flexible conductor foil and are contacted there, via wire connections, to a circuit part manufactured separately.